Educational toy



F. R. COMPOSTO EDUCATIONAL TOY April 25, 1950 3 sheets sheet 3 Filed April 14, 1947 V IN V EN TOR.

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"ATENT OFFICE 2,505,230 EDticA'rmNAL for Frank R. Composto, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application A ril. 14, 1947, eel-a1 No. 741,266 Claims. (01135 35) This invention relates to a toy or game requiring the selection and arrangement of certain indicia, such as letters or numerals, in relationto a given indicium More particularly it relates to an educational toy or game adapted to indicate bya signal, such as alight or a buzzer, when a pictorially or graphically presented question or problem has been correctly answered or s'olved, as for example by correctly selecting and arrangin theletters comprising the name of a pictorially represented object, or when indicia giving the correctanswer to a problem, as for example a problem in arithmetic, have been selected and pr y ar n d l An object of the invention isto provide as'imple toy or game of the above mentioned kind,

Another objectof the invention is to provide such, a, toy or ame wherein an error or errors in selection of indicia to identify a given object or .to answer a given problem will be indicated immediately.

Another object or the invention is to provide -.a device of the above mentioned lgindwhich is -flexible and may be used witna variety of different indicia bearing members which pose a variety of questions or problems to be solved, such :as objects the, names of which are to be spelled,

(arithmetic problems to be solved etc. I

Another object of the invention is to Provide :an, improved device of the above mentioned kind.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious or in part pointedout hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and in the several steps and relation and, order of each of said steps to on or more of the others thereof, all aswill be pointed out in the following description, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. g

The invention will best be understood if the following descriptionis read in connection with the drawings, in which, w 1 a n Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention; W I r v 1 a Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line2-2ofFigure1; Y w Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 3- 3 of Figure 2 V n Figure 4 is a detail view showing a guide plate whichmay be employed; I I 2 lg f 5, a; detail view; showing strips of conductive material forming part or an electric circiiit and comprising circuit gaps;

Figure 6 'sho' s a" number or blocks identified 165? sis 2 letters, numerals, and as blanks respectively, each provided w'ith a circuit closir'i'g' pin and with one or more position lie'y pins;

Fig "e, '7 is a detail of a block made of metal staln ngs with round pins secured therein as by n n fie; v a

Figure 8 is a detail of a block made of wood, or plastic with round pins fitted therein;

Figure 9 is a detail view of a Wooden block with nail type pins driven therein;

. Figure 10 is a detail view made of metal stampings with flat pins cut out of and bent up from one of the metal stampings;

Figure 11 is a detail vie'wpartly broken away oi a guide plate, similar to the one shown in Figure 4, but with slots instead 01"- round holes adapted to receive the flat pins of blocks such as t shq ni u e .1

Figure l2 is a planview of an indicium bearing card; shown as part of the assembly illustrated in Figure 1; punched with holes adapted to receive the pins of indicia bearing blocks when the latter are properly selectedand arranged to identify the indiciuin on said card;

Figure 13 is a planview of aplurality of cards adapted to besubstituted in place of the card shownin Figure 12 and presenting a problem in th t -me Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view showing a circuit adapted to be closed when the correct name, Sum or otheranswer has been made by selecting positioning the proper indicia bearingblocks and to give a signal indicating the corrct answer. k

The wordfcard is used herein ina broad sense to indicate a member on which is depicted an object to be spelled or aproblem to be solved by the selection and arrangement of blocks bearing letters, numerals etc,

The were b' lock is used herein broadly to indicate a; member adapted to be selected and arranged with other blocks to fill a given space and spell the, name of an object depicted on a card, or to solve a problem shown on a "card or to form an arrangement of indicia related to an indicium on a card. V

Theembodimento-j the invention illustrated in the .drawioss neris ,Q e im e rd ra h y re entin e bi. t n of which is to be spelled, such for example as the picture of duck shownon card in illustrated in Figures land 12, or a problem to he solved, Such ror e ample rem n i arithmetic, illustr o ens m shown in Figure s, with a supplementary card Ill each card is punched along one margin with groups of perforations the disposition of which is related to an indicium depicted on the card; a support surface l2 for the cards, preferably including a perforated guide plate i4 spaced above it so that one of said cards 10, or a combination of cards such as W and I, may be positioned on the plate with a portion, or portions, thereof extending under said guide plate and provided with a number of groups of perforations each of the same pattern; an electric circuit l6 (Figures 2 and 14) and a number of blocks l8, most of which carry letters or numerals and all of which carry pins which may be inserted through some of the perforations in the guide plate, and will register with and extend through the perforations provided in the cards It, and Id and id respectively, when blocks relating to the indicium on the card on the support surface have been correctly selected and arranged on the guide plate. The said blocks and said electric circuit are adapted to cooperate and complement one another so that when the several groups of perforations on the guide plate have been covered with blocks which correctly spell the name of the object shown on the card, or solve a problem graphically presented on the card etc. the electrical circuit will be closed and a signal will be given.

The surface I2 may comprise the top of a box-like closure 20, and the guide plate M may be supported above the surface l2 a by spacing members 22 and rivets 24. As shown in Figure 4 the guide plate is divided into five spaces, l, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and each space is perforated with eleven holes comprising ten key positioning pin holes arranged in two parallel rows of five holes each A, B, C, D, E, and F, G, H, I, J, and a larger contact pin receiving hole K which is shown centrally positioned between said two rows of holes. Groups of holes similar to those in the guide plate l4 may be provided in the surface I2, and preferably the portion of surface I2 under the guide plate may be cut away to provide space for pins on blocks Hi to be inserted through perforations in the guide plate and in a card on said surface, as will be described. If the surface is perforated with holes corresponding to those in the guide plate and the surface is made of metal the holes in the surface should be made larger than those in the guide plate to prevent a short circuit when the contact pins of the blocks lilare inserted as will be described.

Each card If}, or combination of cards ill and ID", has along its lower margin groups of perforations equal in number to the groups of perforations provided in said guide plate. The perforations comprising a group of perforations in a card correspond to some of the perforations comprising each group in the guide plate and so are aligned with one or more of the key positioning pin holes AJ, and each group of holes in a card has a hole adapted to be in register with a hole K in the guide plate when the card is properly positioned on the support surface. In Figure 12 the lower margin of card I9 therein illustrated is shown divided into five spaces similar to spaces into which the guide plate is divided, and in each space is a combination of perforations individual to the particular card and the object, problem etc. depicted thereon and which correspond to some of the perforations in the corresponding space in the guide plate, and these holes for convenience are identified by the same numbers as the holes in the guide plate with 4 which they correspond and with which they are in register.

The electric circuit l6 may desirably be completely contained within box-like member 29, and may comprise the battery 26, a signalling device such for example as the light 28, or buzzer 39, both indicated in Figure 14, the leads 32, and the conductive strips 3d, which may be separately supported from the lower side of support surface l2. The ends of said strips 36 are bent downwardly so that the adjacent ends of adjoining strips form a socket adapted to receive and press against a metal pin, the circuit being complete except for said sockets which constitute gaps 36 in the circuit. The strips 34 are disposed so that the gaps 36 are equal in number to the number of groups of holes in the guide plate and in each card it, or combination of cards Ill and Ill", and are aligned with the holes K respectively.

As shown in Figure 6 thirty-six blocks are provided, the number of which of course may be varied as desired to provide duplicates or to support a wide variety of indicia. All the blocks indicated in Figure 6 except two are indicium bearing blocks serving respectively to carry the letters of the alphabet and numerals 1 to 10 inclusive, the letters I and 0 being also conveniently employed for the numerals one and zero. The two blank face blocks are used to fill in the spaces left on the guide plate, when the word to be spelled or the problem to be solved does not require sufiicient indicia bearing blocks to fill the spaces i. e. cover the groups of holes provided in the guide plate and in the cards respectively. In the embodiment of the invention as shown all five spaces I, 2, 3, 4, and 5 must be covered to make the toy operative to signal when a correct answer has been given, and if only four indicia bearing blocks are required for the answer the fifth space is filled with a blank-face block, the fifth group of holes in the card being a combination adapted to receive the pins on a blank-face block.

Each and every block is provided with one or more key positioning pins, 11, b, c, d, e, and J, g, h, i, 7', corresponding in position to the holes AJ in the guide plate and in the margins of the cards, and a central elongated pin 38 of conductive material. Pin 38 of each block is adapted to register with any hole K in the guide plate and so with any hole K in a card positioned so that its holes are in alignment with those in the guide plate, and the key positioning pin or pins on each block will register with and enter holes comprising each grou of holes in the guide plate but will register with and so can enter only a particular combination of holes in a card. This combination of key positioning pins and holes will be found only in a block and in the space of a card perforated to receive that particular block. When this block is applied to the particular space all the pins on the block will register with holes in the card (as well as with holes in the guide plate) and so the block will be fully seated on the guide plate, as are the first, third, fourth and fifth blocks shown in Figure 2, reading from the left. When thus fully seated the contact pin 38 will extend into the gap 36 which is aligned with the holes K in the guide plate and the card through which pin 38 extends, and will bridge the gap thus completing the circuit through it. Thus it will be seen that when blocks H? which correctly relate to the indicium on a card in place between surface 12 and guide plate It are selected and correctly arranged their pins 38 will lit tan idee 1 hc-sans3 rsbu me pleting, the electric circuit andg causing at signal to beuactuated. lf awrong; block. has; been v Se-,1

lectedr it Will- 110b: fully seaton the guide .plate sincev its keypositioning. pins= will! strike an imperforate portioneofthecard, like the second block shown in Figure 2, and the-contact pin. 38. will not extend far enough through the card 1 to close thegap .beneath ait and the lack of a signal, aswell aslthe position. of theimproperly selectedor. positioned block, will; give notice that thename of the object, or, the answer. to. the problem etc. has not, been correctly given,

As illustratedin Figures 1 and 2 the problem.

the leveliof the correctly selectedand positioned blocks bearing the lett'ers.D,C"and.K, since one of the key positionin pins. on the block is not alignedwitha hole. in the card even though aligned and insertedf'thro'ugh a hole in the guide plate and. thus strikes against an imperforate portionofthe card." Asa consequence the conta'ct'pin 38 does not reach the circuit gap 31% with which his alignedto close it.

Sinceas'shown in Figure. 1', space is provided 'for'receivingfive blocks l8iand since. the correct Word for spelling the indicium i. e. the duck depictedi on. the card llLwhich has been selected, is a wordof only four letters, a blank block 18 is selected and-positioned-tofill the fifth space.

Instead of any indicium bearing card 10 graphically illustrating an object to be spelled other cards presenting a variety of other questions or problems'may beusedi Thus as shown in Figure 13 card .ltl bearing a problem in arithmetic may be: substituted for card I Ifthe answerto this problem is correctly given bye, single numeral or digit, (the numeral in the problem in addition depicted on card we the fourth space from the left in Figure 13, next to the space correctly filled by block 18 bearing the numeral 5, may be filled with a blank block I8. The card lfl is supplied merely to supplement card like m having thereon problems, which require an answer employing only one or two numerals or letters. Card N1 is punched with three groups of holes adapted to receive in spaces l, 2 and 3 the pins of blocks bearing the letters a, n and s respectively, thus spelling the abbreviation of the word answer. This is an arbitrary selection and is merely illustrative. v

The blocks l8, and particularly the formation or attachment of the key positioning and contact pins may be varied considerably as is illustrated in Figures 7 to 10. If members It are formed as illustrated in Figure 10 slots may be provided in the guide plate I4, and in the cards (and in surface I2 if it is not cut out) instead of round holes, and a plate formed with such slots is illustrated in Figure 11.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a method and apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth matter hereinbefore-i set: forth. or, shown in; the;

accompanying drawings is to; be interpretedas illustrative and not in. a limitingsense.

Whatl claim is:

1. A toy comprising anindicia bearing: card, a support for the. card and a guide plate spaced above said supportso that a portion ofisaid-card may be inserted betweenv the support and the plate, aseries of similar groups of holesin said uide plate'each group. being; arrangedin a deli;-

nits pattern, the. portion of said, card which. is.

inserted between-said surfaceand the guideplate;

having a: series of groups-of holes. equal in'num.-- ber to the number of groups of holes in saidguideplate but each comprising a. combination of some of the. holes comprised by each; group-of holes in:

said guide plate, the holes comprising; each group of holes insaidcardibeing vertically aligned with the corresponding holes of the groups of holes in said guide plate, and a number of blocks each having projecting therefrom: a combination ofpins disposed similarly to one of the: groups of holes in said card, whereby when correctly posi-- tioned said block may bexdisposedon-said guide plate with its lower surfaceincontact with said guide plate;

,2. A toy comprising an indicia bearing card, asupport for the card including a guide plate spaced.

above said support so that a. portionrof said card may beinserted between the support and the plate, a seriesof groups of holes in said guide plate eachgroup being arranged in a definite pattern, the portionof said cardwhich is inserted between said surface and the guide plate having, a series of groupsof holes equal in number to'the number of groups of holes insaid guide platebut each comprising afcombination of. some of; the holes comprised by-each group of holes in said':

guide plate, the holes comprising each group of holes in said card being vertically aligned with the corresponding holes ofthe groupsoi" holes in said guide plate, and a. number of blocks each having projecting therefrom a combination of pins disposed similarly to one of the groups of holes in said card and including an elongated pin of electrically conductive material, whereby when correctly positioned said block may be disposed on said guide plate with its lower surface in contact with said guide plate, the said support surface for the card serving also to support an elec trical circuit, including a signalling means, com plete except for a series of gaps equal in number to the number of groups of holes in said card, said gaps being vertically aligned respectively with a hole in each of said groups of holes in the guide plate and in said card whereby when all said blocks are in correct position on the guide plate the said electrically conductive pins carried by said blocks respectively will project through the guide plate and through the card into the respective gaps in said circuit, thereby bridging said gaps and completing the circuit.

3. A toy comprising a number of indicium bearing cards each having a given number of groups of holes punched therein and arranged in combination of patterns individual to the card, pin bearing members some of which carry indicia related to indicium on said cards respectively, a support surface adapted to receive said cards one at a time, and an electrical circuit beneath said support including a signalling device and a number of gaps each aligned with one hole comprising each of said groups of holes in the card, the pins borne by each of said pin bearing members comprising one or more key positioning pins and an electrically conductive gap-closing pin disposed in a pattern similar to the disposition of one group of holes in one of said cards, said gap-closing pin being adapted when the block by which it is carried is positioned over the card having a correspondingly disposed group of holes with its key positioning pins extending through the holes of said group of holes in the card, to extend through said card into one of said gaps and thereby serve to close the circuit through said gap, whereby when blocks have been correctly selected and positioned over all the groups of holes in said card the circuit will be completed and said signalling device :actuated.

4. In combination a support surface having a portion thereof cut away beneath a guide plate, a .guide plate spaced above said surface and having a number of groups of perforations therein, the perforations of each group being similarly dis- ;posed and includin perforations adapted to receive the pins of any one of a number of blocks to be selected and arranged in relation to an indicium or indicia on one of a group of cards, a card having therein perforations corresponding to some of the perforations of said guide plate, positioned on said surface with its perforat portion between said guide plate and the cut away portion of said surface, and with each of the perforations comprising its group of perforations in register with some of the perforations of the respective groups of perforations in said guide plate, a number of blocks having pins projecting therefrom and disposed in combinations individual to said blocks respectively, the combination of pins on each block correspondin to the combination of perforations comprising one group in one of said cards, and an electric circuit disposed beneath said surface and beneath the group of holes in the guide plate and in a card positioned on said surface, complete except for gaps, one of the pins carried by each of said blocks being adapted when the block is correctly selected and positioned on said guide plate with its pins inserted through some of the perforations of a group of perforations in said guide plate and through the group of holes in the card having the combination of perforations correspondin to the disposition of pins on said block, to extend into and bridge one of said gaps thereby completing the electric circuit through said gap.

5. An educational toy comprising indicia bearing cards punched with one or more groups of holes adapted to receive the pins of blocks having pins disposed similarly to the respective combinations of holes in the card, a surface having a number of groups of holes therein disposed so that said cards may be successively positioned thereon with the holes of each combination of holes in a card in register with some of the holes comprising each roup of holes in said surface, an electric circuit including a signalling device adapted to be actuated when said circuit is closed and comprising strips of conductive material spaced apart forming gaps vertically aligned with a hole in each group of holes in said cards respectively, and a number of blocks adapted to be selected and arranged in relation to indicia depicted on said cards respectively, each block having a contact pin adapted to enter one of the holes in each group of holes in each card, and having one or more key positioning pins adapted when the block is properly selected and positioned to register with and enter holes comprising a particular group of holes in a particular card the contact pins of said blocks being sufficiently long so that, when the key positioning pin or pins of a block have been brought into register with, and inserted in, corresponding holes in a card, the contact pin will extend through the hole of said group which is aligned with said circuit gap and will thereby close the gap and complete the circuit therethrough.

FRANK R. COMPOSTO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,040,174 Von Saalfeld Oct. 15, 1912 1,629,635 Parsons May 24, 1927 April 25; 1950 F. R. COMPOSTO 2,505,230

EDUCATIONAL TOY Filed April 14, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 1 a: rm...

1 VENTOR. BYWJ7 ATTORNEYS 

